Gameday Thread: Baylor Looks to Break Losing Streak against Cincinnati

They took a top 4 Houston team to the wire on the road without 2 all conference guards.
There's no excuse for tonight however.

IowaBear said:

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Just a feeling. Think he either declares or chases the bag. Next year is likely to be a rebuilding year anyways with all the roster turnover.

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Coaching staff turnover/trimming is just as needed.

TeamPlayer said:

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Talent is unthinkably flowing to the SEC out of the ACC and Big 12. It's only going to get worse. Scott isn't going to be able to sustain a Top 25 program unless we outspend every SEC team in NIL, which isn't going to happen.

We still have to appreciate everything he did to get us where we are.

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Team, the two best players in the country are going big 12 next year. First time teams other than Bu carrying the talent load. Az also leads for a very good player and Sampson finally hit on a few high prospects.

Now for transfers, might happen. The big 12 narrative was nonsense the last two years. Was obvious from watching the games it just wasn't there.

IowaBear said:

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They took a top 4 Houston team to the wire on the road without 2 all conference guards.
There's no excuse for tonight however.

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Because they're tough as hell. But they don't have the guys to make up for missing 30+ points, nobody does.

TCU 13
WVU 31

H1 5:00

True Grit said:

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I am not sure what all those half-zipper Baylor pullovers do for the team or Drew. Seems like we have downgraded in our assistants here recently.

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Can we ask all of the assistants to write down the top 5 things they did at work last week?

saucebob said:

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True Grit said:

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I am not sure what all those half-zipper Baylor pullovers do for the team or Drew. Seems like we have downgraded in our assistants here recently.

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Can we ask all of the assistants to write down the top 5 things they did at work last week?

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Good idea, I wanna know which of them got McDonald's for the guys.

boognish_bear said:

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saucebob said:

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True Grit said:

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I am not sure what all those half-zipper Baylor pullovers do for the team or Drew. Seems like we have downgraded in our assistants here recently.

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Can we ask all of the assistants to write down the top 5 things they did at work last week?

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I don't think practicing defense or layups will be on those lists

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Coaches actually said before the Colorado game that we had great practices, including those things.

Game time was, well ...

This is not unlucky. It's happened all season. This is bad perimeter defense.

Baylor remains one of the unluckiest teams in the country

Cincinnati is one of the worst 3pt shooting teams at 32% and is shooting 7/12 from a deep 58% tonight pic.twitter.com/6fFLRKvEuX

— Max Hofmeyer (@hoffy8121) February 26, 2025

I didn't get to watch a minute because I was covering a high school playoff game, but this one went about how I thought it would.

This team just isn't good. And frankly it will be stealing a tournament berth if it gets one. That bid would be far better off going to a regular season mid-major champ that loses their tournament.

OKLAHOMA STATE KNOCKS OFF NO. 9 IOWA STATE 🤠 pic.twitter.com/bfkEjAzNyB

— ESPN (@espn) February 26, 2025

I've waited all year for this team to show something they do well. I'm still waiting.

Smashmouth said:

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I've waited all year for this team to show something they do well. I'm still waiting.

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Layups
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Not

bear2be2 said:

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I didn't get to watch a minute because I was covering a high school playoff game, but this one went about how I thought it would.

This team just isn't good. And frankly it will be stealing a tournament berth if it gets one. That bid would be far better off going to a regular season mid-major champ that loses their tournament.

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Agree wholeheartedly. It would be a crime to allow an 18 win team into the tournament. You just know if Baylor gets in, there are at least 15 other teams more worthy who probably had a worse SOS but who managed to actually win games.

Guitarbiscuit said:

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bear2be2 said:

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I didn't get to watch a minute because I was covering a high school playoff game, but this one went about how I thought it would.

This team just isn't good. And frankly it will be stealing a tournament berth if it gets one. That bid would be far better off going to a regular season mid-major champ that loses their tournament.

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Agree wholeheartedly. It would be a crime to allow an 18 win team into the tournament. You just know if Baylor gets in, there are at least 15 other teams more worthy who probably had a worse SOS but who managed to actually win games.

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I hate to also agree - but I do and was thinking as much last night. Even given injury and illness issues, a deserving Tournament team finds a way to take care of business against the likes of Colorado and Cincinnati - especially at this point in the season. We still might somehow sneak in, especially if we beat UH (fat chance), but sadly, this is an NIT team at best.

IowaBear said:

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Where the top freshman go is irrelevant imo. It's the multi year top end transfers flowing to the SEC. And they're reaping the rewards. Recruiting 1 and dones is dandy…. Doesn't win you games in March

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Before we get too excited about one regular season, SEC has had exactly one FF team the last 4 Marches, B12 has won two natty, UConn has won two Nattys and ACC has had several FF team in that time.

Not arguing that SEC is not very good this year and that will probably show up in March, But let's pump the breaks a little on they are showing the way forward.

What you can take away from the last few NCs is all over the place. Very good multi year players in your program is important (BU, KU). Transfers are important (UConn 23) Recruits/transfers that were some of the best in the nation and that stayed at least two years and a one and done worked too (UConn 24).

Clearly Drew needs to get his footing again. But saying it has to be multi year top end transfers is not necessarily the path. In fact, we have one (Roach) maybe two (Omier) and how has that worked out?

The SEC has been trending towards being the top conference for a few years now. Been a steady climb. We've reached the point where that conference is undeniably the top conference. As far as March madness goes. I don't define a 6 game tournament as what makes a conference the top dog… I refer to the 30 plus game seasons each team in each league plays. And Roach and Omier aren't multi year transfers… that's my point. Both are 1 n dones just like VJ. The strategy sucks and unfortunately Drew is finding out that out the hard way. It's up to him to make the necessary changes. But even Stevie Wonder can see what's currently being done isn't working.
Your 3rd sentence is what I'm saying.. and have been saying since Drew got away from being a developmental program. The SEC like it or not has multiple teams constructing rosters that way. And those said teams are now reaping the benefits.

IowaBear said:

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Where the top freshman go is irrelevant imo. It's the multi year top end transfers flowing to the SEC. And they're reaping the rewards. Recruiting 1 and dones is dandy…. Doesn't win you games in March

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I mostly agree but both KU and BYU's guy are really, really good. Close to Duke level good, who I think is the best team in the country this year. Im sure they plan to surround their guy with vets.

I'm with you that multi year transfers (proven at the lower level) are the way to go. I'm also with you that the big 12 just isn't the same level right now. I was sensing that last year even while the commentators and coaches still parroted the same talking points. 100 the SEC is a different level. I highly doubt Hou or a healthy Iowa St/Tech win that league. Its very good.

Just saying there is a talent infusion in the conference next year that hadn't been there before. BYU chose to outbid Sec teams for a freshman and Im assuming they can do the same in the portal. Will be interesting to see.

Kansas is more concerning that Baylor. Absolute free fall. Players aren't good enough anymore. There really isn't anything our conference can do since NIL went into effect, and our schools don't have the resources to keep up.

Houston has been able to sustain it for now because Sampson has this emotional tie he develops with players and they stay with him. But he's loaded with seniors that won't play forever.

I don't think Drew and Self go out like Tony Bennett and Jay Wright did, although it wouldn't shock me.

TeamPlayer said:

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Kansas is more concerning that Baylor. Absolute free fall. Players aren't good enough anymore. There really isn't anything our conference can do since NIL went into effect, and our schools don't have the resources to keep up.

Houston has been able to sustain it for now because Sampson has this emotional tie he develops with players and they stay with him. But he's loaded with seniors that won't play forever.

I don't think Drew and Self go out like Tony Bennett and Jay Wright did, although it wouldn't shock me.

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The guys Self trusted and built up at KU over the last few years just weren't talented enough. He did more development than BU and it just didn't work.

The kid they have next year is special and Im sure they'll re-evaluate and bring in better tranfers. The strange thing to me is KU and BU both got highly ranked guys that were in demand. They just missed badly on a few of them so I don't think its stricly NIL. But the center of the game is shifting, I agree.

Great observation as Sampson isn't paying the guys full "mkt" rate and yet they stay. Its probably the most important trait in this era and somehow he's figured it out and unironicallly is the oldest of the coaches. We all thought Drew was supposed to be able to that very thing but it hasn't worked out so far.

My gut is after 22' they've gone a little on what I'll call the Aranda path (before last season) and didn't keep the main thing, the main thing. Re-center the focus on ball. You can mold great guys by going through that struggle and still accomplish his greater mission.

Baylor is great at squandering success. Football team finishes top 5 then craters. Drew wins championship then bad luck for years then craters. We went too far away from what worked

IowaBear said:

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I'll give Roach credit. He's playing with a sense of urgency

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Agree...much better.

Oso del lago said:

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Baylor is great at squandering success. Football team finishes top 5 then craters. Drew wins championship then bad luck for years then craters. We went too far away from what worked

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And of course additionally years earlier there was the ultimate unnecessary squandering of a successful football program that was being built to be a perennial national power for years to come because of a blown out of all proportion media driven so called "scandal" that we needlessly capitulated to lock stock and barrel.